Mr. Speaker, the committee looked into the area of child and family services committees in communities. It is a sad commentary that only the community of Fort McPherson has taken advantage of provisions of the Child and Family Services Act, that allow for the community agreements and the formation of a child and family services committee.
A community agreement allows a community corporation to establish their own community standards, which, as long as they meet the minimum standards set out in the regulations, reflect the realities of life in the community and the standard of care for apprehended children. They can also establish community standards to reflect whether a child is in need of protection under all of the reasons outlined in section 7(3).
For example, Mr. Speaker, young children out late at night unsupervised in Yellowknife would be of concern to a child protection worker and the Yellowknife Child and Family Services Committee, if one existed. The same level of concern may not exist for the child protection worker and the child and family services committee in a smaller, isolated community, and they would be able to establish their own standards to deal with such circumstances.
A community child and family services committee, as previously referenced in this report, would be a valuable resource in helping child protection workers, who may not be familiar with the local customs and families, in placing apprehended children with suitable members of the child's extended family within the child's home community.
There are also provisions for a member of the child and family services committee to sit on each child's individual plan of care committee and provide their input to reflect community standards and culture. In addition, if the child
protection worker is unable to get a plan of care agreement in place, they can turn to the chairperson of the committee for assistance. This allows greater opportunity for an agreement to be reached.
There are also provisions that the chairperson of the committee could be delegated the powers of a child protection worker and be allowed to apprehend a child in need of protection. Committee thought that, while not ideal, this may be a power that will encourage a community without a child protection worker or an RCMP presence to consider forming their own child and family services committee.
In questioning witnesses like Ms. Alana Mero and Ms. Denise Kurszewski, who appeared before committee during the hearings on Bill 5, it became apparent to Members that there was a buy-in on the child's individual plan of care committee and a general recognition that this works well in ensuring that the needs of the child are met and that parents are represented in the process.
However, Mr. Speaker, there seemed to be little knowledge of the ability of a community to enter into agreements and establish community child and family service committees. This was also reflected in the comments we heard in Behchoko.
All Members of this House are approached by communities and asked to help empower them to deal with their own problems. We can point to community justice committees as an example of community empowerment. The role of the community justice committees in delivering services and dispensing justice is evolving, and is being recognized through increased supports and funding by the Department of Justice.
The Social Programs committee pressed hard over the life of this Assembly to secure increased funding and supports for the community justice committees. While this battle is far from over, Mr. Speaker, it is apparent that the issue of funding and supporting community justice committees is at least on the radar of the Department of Justice.
Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask my colleague, the Member for Nunakput, to continue to report.